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The present invention relates to a ventilation system for removing odor-filled air from around the toilet and transporting the air to an external vent. The ventilation includes a modified toilet seat which is mounted on the toilet bowl for communication with a tubular manifold at the rear of the toilet seat. The manifold is rotated to align inlets for air passage from the toilet seat into the manifold and to align outlets for communicating the air through hollow mounting fixtures to a conduit and an external vent.
Foul odors around indoor toilets have been a problem for as long as people have had indoor plumbing. Ventilation fans have been installed in the ceilings of bathrooms, but such fans are often ineffective in removing the odor. Over the years, numerous ventilation systems have been designed which mount on or adjacent to the toilet. But such ventilation systems are often difficult to mount and install. In addition, bulky components are often visible to a person using the toilet, which detracts from the overall appearance of the bathroom.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,125,906 discloses a toilet venting apparatus having a conduit which extends around and through the toilet seat. Two ports are provided about the hinges to facilitate withdrawal of the air from around the toilet seat. U.S. Pat. No. 6,463,595 discloses a fixed manifold positioned at the rear of the toilet seat. An elbow fitting is connected to a vent conduit. A fan motor is used to draw air from the toilet seat area through the elbow and conduit to an external vent. U.S. Pat. No. 6,055,677 also shows a fixed exhaust cavity located at the rear of the toilet seat. When the seat is down, slots in the toilet seat are aligned with slots in the fixed cavity. Pivoting the toilet seat to a vertical position causes the seat to block the slots in the cavity. U.S. Pat. No. 4,620,329 provides for a toilet seat having an internal channel. Air is conveyed through the hinge mechanism to the seat through a conduit to an exhaust fan.
Other patents related to ventilation systems and ventilated toilet seat assemblies include U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,523,184; 6,499,150; 6,496,986; 6,457,186; 6,360,377; 6,052,837; 5,996,131; 5,991,934; 5,355,536; 5,199,111; 5,016,294; 4,780,913; 4,375,704; 4,222,129; 3,849,808; 3,733,619; 3,277,499; 3,108,289; and 1,861,501.
Most of the prior art toilet ventilation systems disclosed in the patents have the major disadvantage or drawback of not being adapted for easy mounting and use with conventional toilets. Many of the patented prior art systems require filters or other special components mounted on the toilet bowl. Another disadvantage of prior art systems is their technical complexity and relatively high cost. Some of the prior art designs are not compatible with the variety of existing toilet configurations and designs.
Another problem is that many of the systems fail to meet applicable building codes or regulations. One particular problem is that when ventilating in the area of the toilet, it is desirable to draw air from very close to the toilet. In many arrangements, however, the configuration of the system would allow liquid to be drawn into the system. Such a configuration is dangerous and in many cases would be a code violation.
In general, none of the existing ventilation systems for removing odors directly at the toilet have been commercially successful. There is still a need for a toilet ventilation system that is easily connectable to the toilet bowl. It would also be beneficial to have a ventilation system that has a similar appearance to a standard toilet seat and toilet bowl. Another benefit would be to have a ventilation system for a toilet bowl that automatically and temporarily operates when someone is sitting on the toilet seat.
The present invention for a toilet ventilation system is configured for mounting in the standard mounting holes on a toilet bowl. The system includes as a toilet seat assembly having a special toilet seat and seat cover. A passageway is established from vent holes in the toilet seat through a passageway in the seat hinges to inlets on a tubular manifold secured at the rear of the toilet seat. The manifold includes one or two outlets such that air drawn from the area of the toilet bowl is communicated from the outlet of the manifold through a passageway in the mounting fixture.
In addition to these components of the toilet seat assembly, a conduit is used to communicate the air to an external vent. A fan motor or other ventilation means for moving air is typically connected to the conduit in a remove location from the toilet bowl. The preferred mounting location for the motor is in a position much higher than the toilet bowl to minimize the risk of water being drawn into the system to damage the motor. The external vent may be positioned in the roof or outside wall of a home or other building similar to other ventilation systems.
The toilet seat assembly is easy to mount on a toilet bowl. The distance between the mounting holes is the same distance on the most common residential toilet bowls. Except for the shape of the seat and seat cover, the components of the assembly would be the same for all toilet bowls. The toilet seat ventilation assembly, conduit, fan motor, and control switches could be furnished as original equipment on toilet bowls or be sold as a kit for the replacement aftermarket. The toilet seat and seat cover dimensions are also somewhat standardized so that a few toilet seat and seat cover designs would cover most of the existing toilet bowl designs.
The toilet ventilation system of the present invention utilizes special hinges and mounting fixtures to facilitate communication of the air from the toilet bowl to an external vent. These components are used not only for standard functional purposes, such as securing the seat to the toilet bowl and raising and lowering the toilet seat, they are also designed to provide a passageway for communication of air. But since the external appearance is similar to a standard assembly, the appearance of the toilet seat is not significantly altered. The small tubular manifold at the back of the toilet seat and the conduit extending from the back of the toilet bowl are the only readily apparent changes from a standard toilet seat.
The toilet seat ventilation assembly at the back of the toilet seat includes a hollow tubular manifold. The mounting fixture, toilet seat hinge, and seat cover hinge located at each end of the manifold include a mounting ring for accepting the manifold. In the preferred embodiment, the manifold is permanently affixed only to the cover hinge. When the seat cover is raised or lowered, the movement of the seat cover causes the manifold to rotate within the mounting rings of the seat hinge and the mounting fixtures. The mounting fixtures are fixed to the toilet bowl and the only moving action for the mounting fixture is the rotation of the manifold in the mounting ring. For the toilet seat hinge, the manifold may rotate in the mounting ring of the seat hinge when the toilet seat cover is moved. In addition the seat hinge may be rotated about the manifold when the seat itself is raised or lowered.
The manifold has at least one and preferably two aperture inlets, one under each of the mounting ring of the seat hinge. The manifold has at least one and preferably two aperture outlets, one under each of the mounting rings of the mounting fixture. The passageways for the seat hinge and the mounting fixture each extend to the mounting ring of their respective component. When the passageway of the seat hinge is aligned with the inlet aperture of the manifold, air enters the manifold from the seat area. When the passageway of the mounting fixture is aligned with the outlet, air is withdrawn from the manifold. The inlets and the outlets are formed in the surface of the manifold near the end of the manifold. The selective rotation of the manifold in the mounting rings by raising and lowering the cover, and the selective rotation of the seat hinge about the manifold, will cause the passageways either to be blocked by the sides of the manifold, or to be aligned with the inlet or outlet apertures to facilitate communication with the interior of the manifold. This is especially useful when multiple toilets are manifolded together using a common exhaust fan motor.
The toilet seat and the cover may be positioned in three different combinations: both down, both up, and toilet seat down with cover up. When both the cover and the toilet seat are up, the manifold blocks the passageways and air is not communicated through the manifold. When the cover is up and the seat is down, the inlets and outlets are aligned with the passageways such that air is communicated through the manifold. When both the cover and the seat are down, the inlets and outlets of the manifold block the passageways. The motor of the fan or other air movement device for the toilet ventilation system may be operated by an on-off switch positioned in proximity to the toilet, by a pressure sensitive switch mounted under the toilet seat, or by some other control means.
The present invention provides a toilet ventilation system that is easy to install and operate. The present invention also has an appearance somewhat similar to a standard toilet seat and mounting assembly.